No Slacking while Traveling

One of the biggest challenges we will face on the road is staying consistent with our workout schedules. Of course, we plan on hiking, skiing, and biking (especially when we can find campsites close to town centers!), and we'll probably kayak and swim a fair bit as well. But, aside from these fun activities, we also want to find a balance of working out to achieve our own personal goals. 

To that end, we joined Planet Fitness since it is the most accessible nationwide gym. With the Black Card membership, we can go to non-"home base" Planet Fitnesses 10x each month. We plan to get as close to that 10x as we can, knowing that some weeks we will not be within a reasonable distance of a Planet Fitness (looking at you, Interior, SD). Strength training is something Bryn does regularly and wants to keep up with while traveling, while Shawn's goal is to get back into it after a long hiatus due to Covid. We're also looking forward to using the saunas and shower facilities at the gym, rather than our smaller camper shower and limited tank size. Such luxury! 

In addition to Planet Fitness, we have an array of workout gear we are bringing along. Bryn purchased a small 5ft x 1in barbell and some plates, we already have an adjustable dumbbell set, a kettlebell, and some bands. The barbell can go up to 110lbs, while the dumbbells can be 22lbs each or 35lbs for a single. We also have a massage gun, foam roller, yoga mat, jump rope, and nylon slides. This will be sufficient for the weeks we do not have access to a Planet Fitness. 

Shawn's main forms of cardio are running and biking, which he'll be doing plenty of in the hopefully beautiful places we find ourselves. We plan on biking to restaurants, shops, and sights whenever we can, but Shawn will definitely be doing longer bike rides that are more challenging. Bryn may dabble in some steady state rides if she gets bored, but her bike is more of a commuting bike than a road bike. Shawn is hoping that by the end of our trip he will be in better overall shape, going on longer, faster runs, faster bike rides, harder hikes, etc. This should be easily accomplished, since we do plan on being very active! 

Our "fitness corner" with erg, adjustable dumbbells, and basket of bands/smaller items.

Bryn's goals are a little more specific and will require a bit more effort to stay on track. She is hoping to be accepted to a competitive rowing program in the Boston area when we return home, which means she'll need to at least maintain if not improve her current fitness level. We brought along her erg since Planet Fitness's' rowing machines are garbage (her words). She's using Live2Row for rowing training and her current strength training coach (Be Limitless in Malden, MA) to help keep her on track. Google Sheets will be her best friend in the coming months!

Overall, we hope that the beautiful areas and views from our travels will keep us motivated and moving. We are really excited to get going and settle into a routine!